What Is En Passant in Chess?
En passant is a special pawn capture that can only occur immediately after an opponent's pawn advances two squares from its starting position.
Definition
En passant (French for 'in passing') is a special pawn capture rule. When a pawn advances two squares from its starting position and lands beside an opponent's pawn, the opponent may capture it as if it had only moved one square — but only on the very next move. If the opportunity is not taken immediately, it is lost forever.
Example
White's pawn is on e5. Black plays d7-d5, landing on d5 — right beside White's pawn. White can play exd6 en passant, capturing the Black pawn as if it had only moved to d6. The result: White's pawn is now on d6, and Black's d-pawn is removed.
Why It Matters for Your Chess
Missing or forgetting en passant can be costly — it's a free pawn capture opportunity that expires after one move. It's often tested in chess puzzles and can change pawn structure dramatically, opening or closing files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can pieces other than pawns capture en passant?
No — en passant is exclusively a pawn move. Only a pawn can capture another pawn en passant.
Is en passant mandatory?
No — it's optional. You don't have to take en passant. But if you don't take it on your very next move, the opportunity is gone for that pawn.
Why does en passant exist?
En passant was introduced in the 15th century when pawns gained the ability to advance two squares on their first move (a change made to speed up games). The en passant rule preserved the principle that a pawn cannot bypass an enemy pawn that controls the squares it passes through.
Practice En Passant in Your Games
FireChess detects tactical patterns like en passant in your games and shows you exactly what you missed — and how to find them next time.
Related Terms
Pawn Structure
Pawn structure is the arrangement of all pawns on the board — it determines the long-term strategic character of a position, often regardless of piece placement.
Castling
Castling is the only move in chess that moves two pieces at once — the king and rook — simultaneously tucking the king to safety.
Promotion
Promotion is when a pawn reaches the 8th rank (or 1st rank for Black) and is converted into any piece — almost always a queen.
Stalemate
Stalemate is a draw that occurs when the player to move has no legal moves but is not in check — a lifesaving resource for the losing side.